Pasig City to give free COVID-19 antibody tests to residents

Pasig City will now be offering its residents free coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) antibody tests.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Mayor Vico Sotto said the local government would open 300 slots for free testing on Friday from 9-11 a.m.

“Ito na po ’yung nabanggit ko sa inyo na #FreeTesting para sa mga Pasigueño,” he said.

Residents should call first to reserve a slot because walk-ins are not allowed.

The mayor also said slots would be reserved on a “first come, first served” basis.

Should the testing program be successful, he said Pasig City planned to implement it on a daily basis.

“Kung maayos bukas, araw-araw na ’to,” he said. “Kaya ’wag pumunta kung di nakapag-reserve. Baka ikansela natin ang proyekto kung dagsain ito at mawalan ng social distancing.”

“Iba pa ’to sa testing ng close contacts at may sintomas galing sa OpCen hotline/health ctr,” the city chief also clarified.

According to his tweet, the city will conduct ECLIA testing, or the enhanced chemiluminescence immunoassay, the “first fully automated COVID-19 antibody test verified by the Food and Drug administration of both the United States and Philippines.”

To reserve a slot, call Pasig City’s testing hotline 0928-2911716 or 0928-2911717. – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News